Police has detained seven persons for questioning in connection with the stone pelting incident in which a tourist from Chennai was killed and a girl from Handwara was injured near Narbal on Srinagar-Gulmarg road yesterday. Official sources told that seven persons were detained for questioning and their role with regard to stone pelting incident is being investigated. In the incident, the tourist and civil passenger vehicles were targeted by the stone pelting youth leading to the death of the tourist R Thirumani (22) son of Rajwali of Chennai and injuries to a girl Sabreena (19) from Handwara on Monday.
A Police officer told that instructions were issued for swift action in this regard and concerned police carried out separate raids and arrested three persons. The officer said that more arrests are expected in this connection and the investigations are being carried out on the fast track basis. Police had already filed an FIR Number 57/2018 u/s 148, 247, 307, 336 RPC in Police Station Magam and launched the investigations. Meanwhile, tourists moved freely on all roads including Srinagar-Gulmarg road where the incident took place, the senior officer said. "It was perhaps the unfortunate incident and isolated one wherein some miscreants pelt stones on all vehicles including tourists and local vehicles," he said, adding it was not that the particular tourists were attacked but all vehicles which passed through the area. The incident has triggered widespread condemnations across the political spectrum in Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who went to meet the family at the hospital immediately after she received the news of his demise, fell short of words in expressing condolence with the family.
"My head hangs in shame," was all that she could tell the family. Her predecessor, Omar Abdullah, said: "We have killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone pelters and their methods." Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said: "Deeply saddened by the news of death of a tourist due to stone pelting. Condemn such hooliganism and rowdiness. "It is totally against our ethos of treating tourists as respected guests and brings a bad name to the peoples movement." Expressing grief and sorrow over the death of a tourist due to stone pelting, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani in a statement said, “We have been shouldering the coffins of our loved ones on daily basis but never can be silent on this indiscipline and hooliganism, by some unruly youth.” “Losing a human life irrespective of caste, creed, colour, region or religion is sad and painful for us,” Geelani said. Sympathizing with the grieved family, Geelani said that words fall short to console and condole the family for such a tragic loss. “We as a nation not only feel sorry but ashamed as well,” he said.